Jim Read has walked many miles since last winter and, at least figuratively, it’s mostly been uphill. He’s running as a Democrat for a seat in the state House of Representatives in the deeply red District 13A. He intends to knock on the doors of at least two-thirds of the district’s 13,000 households with registered voters by election day. So
Imagine Aretha singing with the angels
When I first heard it on the radio one day in 1968, it’s as if I were hearing the sky rip wide open. All my hairs were tingling. Goosebumps. “You better think, think, think about what you’re trying to do to me . . . ’’ What a voice! I’d never heard anything like it. It was a powerful, rollicking,
First Amendment: Freedom of Tweets
Roseanne Barr was a comedian with a successful sitcom in the ’90s. Said sitcom made a comeback last year and was a hit, especially with the more conservative members of the country. Barr was fired from her new hit show (the show was cancelled, then rebooted without her) after a racist joke was tweeted by her. Alex Jones is an
Minnesota State Fair has impressive history
It’s time once again for the Minnesota State Fair. Although, I do have an admission to make. Despite all of the excitement and buzz that is generated around the event each year, I have never been to the State Fair in my memory. My parents took me there when I was about 2, but that doesn’t really count since
Trump brings back memories of Piggly Wiggly
Donald Trump’s recent speech in Tampa got me thinking about Piggly Wiggly. Trump again argued for requiring voters to show a photo ID to guard against voter fraud – one of the many myths Trump likes to rant about. Photo IDs are required for many transactions, even buying groceries, Trump trumpeted. “You know, if you go out and you want
Trump’s groceries gaffe makes point
At a campaign rally in Florida, President Trump made a claim that you need an ID to buy groceries, but not to vote. While you do not need an ID to buy groceries in most cases, in our country you are not required to have an ID to vote in almost any cases. With the widespread distrust in our voting
And all I got was this lousy T-shirt
Summer is beginning its wind-down, and I scream at the fading light. I love summer so much so that perhaps I am in love with summer, but that’s a different column. Instead, I wish to ruminate some fine local summer vacation activities my family and I have enjoyed this year. My family and I haven’t taken a proper vacation in
Dollars, demographics point to soccer success
We had gathered for a picnic, enjoying grilled hot dogs and hamburgers before heading to Target Field to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday by watching a Twins game. But instead of gathering in the backyard around the grill, most of the group, white guys in their 50s and 60s, huddled around a TV indoors on a beautiful Minnesota Sunday morning, watching